U.S. House of Representatives Letter on Refugees

We are writing to express our deep concern about the lack of progress
in addressing the ongoing refugee crisis in West Timor, and to urge
immediate action to redress the situation. As you know, more than a year
and a half after the people of East Timor voted overwhelmingly to pursue
independence, nearly 100,000 East Timorese refugees remain in squalid
camps in West Timor, which are controlled by pro-Indonesia militias.

Humanitarian conditions in the refugee camps have worsened drastically
since last year, when the murder of three U.N. humanitarian workers forced
international agencies to evacuate from West Timor. Malnutrition,
diarrhea, and disease are killing people daily. There are widespread
reports of rape and sexual enslavement of women and girls in the camps.
East Timorese children remain separated from their parents, some of whom
have since been repatriated to East Timor and specifically requested the
return of their children, and the U.N. and other international
organizations have been thwarted in their attempts to reunite families. We
find this situation to be morally appalling and in clear violation of the
U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Indonesia is a
signatory.

We urge you to redouble your efforts to remedy these humanitarian
crises in your ongoing conversations with Indonesian officials. Armed
militias backed by elements of the Indonesian military must be immediately
removed from refugee camps in West Timor, disbanded, and disarmed. The
presence of these militias severely restricts the ability of refugees to
return home, makes a credible, internationally observed refugee
registration process impossible, and prevents the operation of
humanitarian workers in the camps. The Indonesian government must be
pressed to remove military officers in West Timor with a history of
service in East Timor, arrest militia leaders, and make sure they are held
accountable for the atrocities they have committed. Indonesia must also be
urged to guarantee the safety of humanitarian workers and their unimpeded
access to refugees. We also strongly recommend that you actively support
the protection of refugee women and girls by urging the direct
intervention of the Indonesian government and the U.N. in these matters.

Finally, we are concerned about the recent refugee registration
coordinated by the Indonesian government. We urge the Administration to
refrain from supporting and affording credibility to this registration, as
U.N. and U.S. government officials and international organizations were
unable to meaningfully observe the process, which may have been
compromised by militia intimidation and misinformation. While we support a
speedy resolution of the refugee crisis, it must be achieved according to
international standards, and must be monitored by the international
community. We urge you to press for a new registration effort, with
significant international oversight and participation, after militia
groups are disarmed and disbanded.

We respectfully request that the State Department use all diplomatic
resources at its disposal to alleviate this crisis, and that you consider
investing in nongovernmental organizations in the region to help improve
humanitarian conditions in the area. We also request a clarification of
the administration's policy for handling the situation in West Timor.
Thank you very much for your consideration, and we eagerly anticipate your
reply.

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